TreadBot

[dragons_fire]

im at work now, but i will have a look at the MCLR diode when i get home... like i said, im just going by what the nuts and volts says for ICSP, it may be wrong for this chip.. and thats exactly why i appreciate youre help... because i have never used this chip before either, so im learning lots as i go..

about breadboarding, is there an easy way to put a PLCC on a breadboard?? without making a board with a header than can be plugged into the breadboard???

when you said "kit" i dont know if you meant selling it, cause im just doing this fur fun, but i guess anything is possible...

i will look at the sharp corners... i know they arent good, but i didnt think it was as big of a deal as it seems....

[skimask]

like i said, im just going by what the nuts and volts says for ICSP, it may be wrong for this chip..

If I had a dollar for every one of those magazine articles I've seen that was obviously wrong (well, I'd have about 10 bucks, but the point remains the same).

i will look at the sharp corners... i know they arent good, but i didnt think it was as big of a deal as it seems....

It's not as big of a deal as we're making it out to be....but again, it could kick you in the arse in the future...

P.S. Watched the video...pretty neat stuff...

[dragons_fire]

i just remembered that the MCLR schematic is also in the stuff that came with my programmer... i should look there too!!!

if i had a dollar for everytime something is going to come back and kick my in the arse, i would be rich!! (at least until i die from the viscious arse kickins!!!)

thanks for the comments on the video. the controller does 128 speeds, so i made it ramp up from 0 to 127 with a pause 20 between each step..

i also get an unbelievable amount of noise when the motors are running.. with both going full speed, i cant even make out the picture on my tv. i think i may need to add some caps to the motors..

[skimask]

i also get an unbelievable amount of noise when the motors are running.. with both going full speed, i cant even make out the picture on my tv. i think i may need to add some caps to the motors..

Cap's across the motor may help, but it's probably the result of the frequency of your PWM. What is the freq anyways? Maybe we can help you come up with something a bit higher so you can't hear it (but your dog will go nuts!!!).

[dragons_fire]

could be from the PWM, im using a serial motor driver, to keep things simple.. so i cant "easily" change the freq. its not the "hearing" noise im worried about, its the static (snow) on the tv. im just worried that it may affect my circuit since the motors are only going to be an inch from the board..

[skimask]

could be from the PWM, im using a serial motor driver, to keep things simple.. so i cant "easily" change the freq. its not the "hearing" noise im worried about, its the static (snow) on the tv. im just worried that it may affect my circuit since the motors are only going to be an inch from the board..

The noise showing up on the tv shouldn't affect the motors (ever noticed when you run a blender in the kitchen that the tv in the living room goes nuts?).
Can you 'scope the PWM to the motors or put a meter with a freq reading on it?
Any reason why you're using serial motor drivers? Other than it's already done and one less thing to worry about...which is handy...
And I just thought of something. You said the gear ratio is something like 298:1. All that noise is probably just regular motor noise. How do the motors sound on straight DC battery type power?

Which reminds me...where did you get the tracks? I've been wanting to build another R/C lawnmower and want to drive it with tracks instead of tires...

[dragons_fire]

im using them because they are already done... all i need to do is output a serial command, and the motors drive...

example command:

serout2 motor, motorbaud,[$80,0,lfwd,speed]

$80,0 are commands for the driver. lfwd is left forward. and speed is one of 128 speeds

i send one command and the motor driver keeps it at that speed until i tell it to change.. lots less for the PIC to worry about..

im jsut worried about the "electronic" noise affecting the PIC and other stuff on the board...

my tracks are probably a little small for you... the "tiles" on the floor are 6 inches across, so my tracks are tiny... they came from a tamiya dozer kit, it was the leftover track parts. each side has 3 pieces of track connected together...

when i get home, i will upload a picture of the tracks on one of my other toys... they would be almost perfect for a lawnmower, except that they would rip up all the grass!!!!

[mackrackit]

im at work now, but i will have a look at the MCLR diode when i get home... like i said, im just going by what the nuts and volts says for ICSP, it may be wrong for this chip.. and thats exactly why i appreciate youre help... because i have never used this chip before either, so im learning lots as i go..

about breadboarding, is there an easy way to put a PLCC on a breadboard?? without making a board with a header than can be plugged into the breadboard???

when you said "kit" i dont know if you meant selling it, cause im just doing this fur fun, but i guess anything is possible...

i will look at the sharp corners... i know they arent good, but i didnt think it was as big of a deal as it seems....

An adapter is the only way I know to board a PLCC making one should be easy or http://www.arieselec.com/products/18014.pdf

Yes, selling it. Looks like something that would get some interest.

BIG BOT looks like a better snow plow than lawn mower

I think 20 mHz will work, as you say, the motor drivers free up the PIC.

So your a fellow HAM north of the line, cool.